Kenobi: A Star Wars Story
by Emperor Ferus
Summary: My Idea for the 2020 Obi Wan film. Set in 10 BBY and includes characters from canon and Legends.
1. chapter 1

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

 _"Again."_

 _Heeding the words of his Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn, Obi Wan parried as Qui Gon came down at him with the training saber._

 _The blade caught him on the thigh and Obi Wan winced from the sharp, sudden pain._

 _"Be aware of your unconscious self, Obi Wan, for the Force operates based on your instincts more than anything you can learn from another."_

 _"I don't understand, Master, what do you mean?"_

 _"Your eyes deceive you, don't trust them." Qui Gon switched off the training weapon and picked up a helmet off the floor. "Try it with the helmet this time." Qui Gon placed the visored training helmet and reactivated the training saber._

 _Obi Wan stared back in disbelief at the tall, long haired Jedi Master. "But I can't see!"_

 _"As I said, let go of your conscious self."_

 _Obi Wan braced himself as he clutched the lightsaber, unable to see his surroundings._

 _Yet as Qui Gon's saber came down again, Obi Wan found himself without thinking blocking the strike, hearing the satisfying sound of blade against blade._

 _"Very good Obi Wan," Qui Gon commended in his soothing golden voice._

 _Deactivating the saber, Qui Gon said, "That's enough for today."_

 _"I did feel it coming," the fourteen year old Obi Wan said as he removed the visor._

 _"Master Jinn." Mace Windu stood at the doorway. "The Council wants to see you."_

 _"Yes, Master Windu." Qui Gon gave his Padawan a reassuring smile before he left._

The eopie was predictably slow trudging through the sand dunes, but Obi Wan had all the patience in the universe. Patience was a necessary trait to possess living long term on the desert world of Tatooine, especially for a Jedi Knight unable to travel freely, or do anything while the galaxy suffered under the rule of the Empire.

The slow ride along the Jundland Wastes also allowed Obi Wan time to meditate, something he had always found ref reshing and energizing. During his years of exile, his most frequent companion had been the spirit of his long dead master, Qui Gon Jinn.

Even back as a Jedi Master, Obi Wan has never considered his training near complete, fully aware that even the strongest and most powerful Jedi only understood the surface of the Force's powers. While others disagreed, Obi Wan believed it was a Jedi's main purpose to study the Force in as much depth as possible, and learn its secrets through peaceful meditation and scholarly learning.

He'd seen the same sun rise and fall for nine years and every time he roamed the infinite, desolate wasteland that was Tatooine, and it always served as a painful, unnecessary reminder of the first day he'd been on this world, long before the Empire or the Clone Wars.

It had been here where he'd first met Anakin Skywalker, who, unknown to him at the time, would become not only his Padawan learner, but his best friend and brother. Anakin's homeworld shoved down his throat the loss of the man he'd loved and fought alongside in the war.

Like most Jedi of the Clone Wars, Anakin had fallen to the evil Sith Lords and the Empire. The loss of not only Anakin but the other Jedi who had died in the Purge.

The Empire was something Obi Wan came as close to hating as a Jedi ever could, second to the Sith. He knew that two Sith Lords stalked the galaxy, Emperor Palpatine and his dark apprentice, Darth Vader. It had been Vader who had consumed Anakin and left nothing of Obi Wan's partner and brother.

Anyone who saw Obi Wan riding through the hot, bitter sand would have seen a robed, hooded bearded man. Those in Mos Eisley and other inhabited settlements on Tatooine knew old Ben Kenobi as a crazy old wizard, and Obi Wan was just fine with that. He needed no companionship save for Qui Gon's mentorship in learning to channel his deceased spirit into the physical world.

Even that training was for the sake of Luke, the boy Obi Wan had sworn to watch over throughout his exile. Obi Wan's entire purpose was to watch over Luke, keep him save from the dangers of the corrupt Tatooine until he was ready to learn the ways of the Force. If Obi Wan died before completing the boy's training, he would be able to mentor the youth through spirit.

At last, Obi Wan reached the Lars homestead on the back of the eopie. He remained mounted as he reached out and sensed the boy's presence.

He had not seen Luke up close since his infancy, but he remembered the boy's eyes and how closely

they'd resembled that of his father Anakin. Now, he saw the boy's uncle Owen Lars emerge from the adobe igloo, carrying tools to work on the developing moisture vaporators.

Owen gazed over to Obi Wan and gave his usual cold stare. Obi Wan did not give any nonverbal reply as Owen went back to work. He knew the Lars' attitude to him and the burden of being a Jedi on the run.

A moment later, Beru emerged from the dwelling with the nine-year-old Luke, talking to him quietly.

"You'll learn how to pilot soon enough," she was saying, "it's just that right now your uncle and I are busy."

"Luke, come give me a hand," Owen beckoned his nephew over as Luke briefly glanced Obi Wan's way.

Uncomfortable, Obi Wan looked away and flicked around the reins of the eopie.

The creature began to ride in the opposite direction as Luke went to help Owen with the vaporator.

Obi Wan's mind cleared as he rode on back towards the Jundland Wastes. In preparation for today's training, he consciously purged his mind of all sorrows, all worries, all questions.

As he had come to expect, a warm, familiar voice rang out in the desert.

"Are you ready for today's training, Obi Wan?"

"Yes, Master Qui Gon."

In front of the eopie, the shimmering, ghostly form of the late Jedi Master appeared amidst the sandy daybreak.

"Very well. As you know by now, this light side technique does not require physical action, but intense application of the mind. While seemingly easy, it takes years to master and have fully ready, as it did for me."

"As always, I humbly accept your teachings, Master."

Qui Gon chuckled. "You don't need to call me master anymore, Obi Wan. You can consider me your equal."

"Yes, Master," Obi Wan solemnly bowed his head.

Qui Gon smiled again, despite his apprentice's refusal to ever be light hearted. He understood Obi Wan's predicament, having witnessed the immense tragedies from the Netherworld, yet he found it useless to dwell in past sorrows.

As Obi Wan dismounted his ride, distant figures moved beyond the rocky hillside.

The two Tusken Raiders mounted their banthas and rode off through the rocky slopes, back to their camp.

Far later in the day, a lone figure approached the Tusken camp, which lay far into the dune sea.

The mysterious man wore a brimmed hat and a long trench coat, which concealed two pistols and rocket boosters on his boots. Under his hat, red eyes shone on his blue face.

Alongside his speeder, the man stood waiting as the masked, robed Tusken Raider Chief approached from the sea of adobe huts.

The bounty hunter named Cad Bane spoke to the chief in basic. "Did you find any information on the mystery man?"

Making an exception to custom, the Tusken spoke in Basic as well, his face and identity hidden by his mask.

"The man is occupied by something, on one of the moisture farms beyond Mos Eisley. We think he may be protecting something or someone."

"Hmmm," Cad Bane stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting. Any more?"

"He wore the robes of a Jedi Knight."

"As I suspected," Bane said to himself, stroking his chin calculatingly, "All the way out here, away from the Empire. My client will be interested."

"Our pay?" the Tusken asked.

"Ahh yes," Bane reaches into his jacket and pulled out a cube of credits, handing it gracefully to the anonymous chief. "I want you to track the Jedi for a couple more days, see what it is he is looking after. Send your most expendable men to lure him into a fight, see what his deal is."

"I think that can be done, for an extra price."

"That'll all be taken care of," Bane promised, "Good night." As the Tusken returned into the village, Bane tilted the hat on his head as he turned to climb back on the speeder.

A moment later, he rode off into the sunset, towards Mos Espa. His client would be very pleased.

Obi Wan sat deep in meditation in his simple hut, which contained nothing but a chest, a table and chairs, and a bantha skin rug for sleeping. He was far away enough from any society to relax, and practice whatever of the Jedi way he could.

He had not salvaged any Jedi Holocrons from the temple, so all knowledge had to be committed to memory.

"Good," Qui Gon was saying, "Allow your unconscious self to take over. Be aware of the spiritual world inside your heart."

Obi Wan obeyed, feeling the Force flowing in his veins. In some ways, this meditation exercise felt very repetitive compared to what he had done his whole life as a Jedi. Yet it felt different each day as he tapped deeper into the Netherworld, and grew closer to fully making his spirit and consciousness independent of his material body.

"I feel it, Master." Then, a tremor overtook everything, something shaking him to the core.

"I sense a disturbance in the Force. Something's wrong."

"Be mindful of the moment, Obi Wan," the ghost of Qui Gon reminded him, "don't dwell on..."

"It's Luke!" Obi Wan had stood from the rug and was rushing out the doorway of his hut and down the steep, rocky slope.


	2. Kenobi 2

Though he could sense the young boy all the way on the Lars moisture farm, Obi Wan feared for Luke the whole ride through the canyons and the Dune Sea. The boy was in danger, from what he could not determine, but whatever it was, he had to defend Anakin's son with his life, even if it meant exposing his hidden Jedi status to whatever enemy lurked about.

It wasn't Vader or the Empire, Obi Wan would have sensed it. Yet another lurking presence on Tatooine felt familiar, very faintly yet distinct. There was no time to relive the past, Obi Wan decided, as he rode the eopie at maximum speed, using the force to gently urge the beast to run.

Yet it could never have been fast enough, Obi Wan knew. He hoped desperately that he wasn't too late, that the farm wasn't in smoking ruins...

From a hundred meters back, he saw it.

Along the ridges of the cliffside overlooking the farm, Owen Lars was engaged in an intense battle with several figures popping out of the rocks, registering to Obi Wan as Sand People.

The masked, guerrilla raiders fired shot after clumsy shot at Owen as he dodged and shot back with his rifle.

"Back away, I say, back away!" Owen was yelling at the beastly men, hitting a Tusken in the head as a blast whizzed past his arm and hit the sand.

Obi Wan dismounted from the eopie and ran towards the scene, having dealt with Tuskens before. He felt a slight, but insignificant relief at seeing what the threat actually was. It would be a nuisance rather than the possibility of the mission being lost.

Without reaching for his saber, Obi Wan used the Force to lift the two Tuskens in his sight.

Owen gasped at the approaching hooded man as Obi Wan Force-slammed the Tuskens against the side of the cliff, knocking them both out.

"Kenobi, what are you doing here?" Owen demanded.

Before Obi Wan could think of a reply, several more roaring masked Sand People came rushing with their clubs and staffs.

Owen backed away, firing rapidly at them. He was a good shot for a man who had spent a lifetime as a civilian farmer, yet Obi Wan could tell he would be overrun.

Reluctantly, Obi Wan summoned his lightsaber hilt from his belt into his right hand. Despite the lost time, the feeling of his sweaty palm around the hot metal did not feel alien to him, as he was still well practiced in his lightsaber combat techniques.

Taking a deep breath for luck, Obi Wan Force leapt forward as he activated his blue blade, landing in the middle of the crossfire. He deflected the shots of the swarm of Sand People back to them, sending them all tumbling down onto the sandy surface.

Oh, the familiar sound of blaster against lightsaber, blasts flying all around. Obi Wan was almost brought back to Christophis, where it was not Sand People, but Separatist battle droids who he was fighting.

No, at a crucial time like this as much as any other, Obi Wan couldn't afford to lie in the past, which proved challenging despite all his Jedi discipline and years of meditative training even in his later years on Tatooine.

In a minute, the Tuskens had fallen dead and Obi Wan sensed no more. Switching off and clipping his saber, Obi Wan turned tentatively to acknowledge Owen Lars, knowing right away that the forthcoming conversation wouldn't end well. He didn't need the Force to predict that, just familiarity with the man.

"What in the blazes were you thinking?" Owen was glaring furiously at Obi Wan, who merely returned the look meekly. Though younger than the Clone Wars veteran general, the long years working on Tatooine has grizzled Owen's features.

"I had no choice," Obi Wan stated plainly, "You had no chance in your own."

"Taking out your laser sword doesn't make it any better!" Owen exclaimed, waving aside the information that Obi Wan had essentially saved his life, "I know what's going on in the wider galaxy! I know your kind is being hunted!"

Knowing where this was going, Obi Wan raised a firm hand and said with the maximum patience possible, "I have heard your stance on the matter of my presence, Owen."

"Mister Lars."

"That's fine, Mr. Lars. I only burden you with my distant presence for the sake of protecting young Luke."

"One of these days!" Owen snapped at him, "One of these days you're going to get discovered here and you had better not be anywhere near Luke when it happens!"

"Owen!" a woman was coming to them from the distant home amid the sea of desert nothing. "Owen, what's going on?" She stopped and gasped as she saw the dead Tusken Raiders.

"The Tuskens again," Owen said, "I swear, they've been coming more and more. It's like they want something from us." He glared at Obi Wan with what amounted to open hostility.

Burying his intense frustration, Obi Wan responded with a humble glance at his Jedi boots.

"Owen," Beru rounded on her husband, "You couldn't have defeated this many Tuskens alone. It looks like Master Kenobi saved you, and all three of us."

Obi Wan was internally grateful for Beru Lars' words in his favor, though he knew that she too believed his presence was a danger to their nephew.

"If this happens one more time..." Owen pointed a finger at Obi Wan, his accusations running deep.

"Owen Lars!" Beru took her husband's arm and pulled.

Obi Wan was no longer listening, he was gazing back into the shadows of the rocks, getting a feel for the danger that remained. It didn't end with the Sand People, he could detect that much. Someone or something was after him.

As Owen and Beth's chattering grew further away as they started back through the desert towards their farm, Obi Wan walked back to where his trained eopie was waiting. Yes, the disturbance he felt in the Force was telling him that there was danger, out of the ordinary even on Tatooine.

Obi Wan decided as he rode back up the cliff that he needed to investigate, without exposing himself too much. His reclusive nature was clear to those who he crossed paths with, usually in Mos Eisley when he went in for an occasional drink.

Obi Wan found that the more he languished on this miserable planet, the more alcohol provided him with relief that even the most intense Jedi meditation could not.

He'd spent enough time in the Cantina to know that whenever one needed some information, that was the place to go, whether to find an informant or to eavesdrop. The latter option seemed to make more sense in this case, which was no problem for Obi Wan.

It had been through eavesdropping that he'd learned about the Empire's enforcer Darth Vader. It had only been when he'd reached out in the larger living Force had he actually sensed Vader, prowling the galaxy. And had learned the Sith Lord's true identity, one he would be able to sense from any corner of any system.

Tonight, he would use similar means to get to the bottom of the trouble brewing amidst his long term mission

The chief Tusken Raider A'Sharad Hett stood just on the outskirts of the grove of domed adobe huts as the speeder bike approached amid the duststorm. Hett was armed with only a staff as he awaited with the news.

Like most of the Tuskens, Hett was human, and could speak Basic on the rare occasions when he was forced to interact with an outsider in a non threatening way. However, it was fatal Taboo to expose his flesh, and thus nobody knew his face or his species, or his level of intelligence. And he had come to enjoy the mystery to his identity.

Cad Bane held out another cube of credits. Hett took it and said, "This time, the man interfered. He definitely had a Jedi lasersword."

"A lightsaber," Bane said to himself, smiling reminiscently. Oh, the good old days.

"He stepped in when my men attacked the farmer of the moisture farm over outside Mos Eisley. I think his name is..."

"Lars? Yeah, I know of him. Not an important man, but could be helping the Jedi hide something," Bane finished, brooding.

"We haven't seen a Jedi since the massacre on our sister clan, over a decade ago, but the weapon was the same."

"I know of the attack you mean," Bane replied, "An old client of mine during the Clone Wars had dealings with the Valley of the Spirits tribe before it happened." He paused and lightly paced the sandy dune, his long trench coat dragging.

"Just like my client predicted."

"Is there anything more you need?" Hett inquired.

"I don't believe so, for now," Bane replied, turning his back to return to the speeder, "I'll just have to report my findings to Black Sun... oh."

He turned back to Hett, a scowl on his blue face, between the breathing tubes that were connected to his lungs.

Hett cautiously backed away as Bane's hand drew into his long overcoat.

"I've said too much," Bane said, "Not your fault of course, but I've just said too much. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Hett."

With a quick pivot, Bane drew his left blaster and fired.

Hett came at him, waving his heavy staff above his head. Bane's shot hit him in the gut before Hett could strike him in the head, and the chief Tusken fell back into the sand.

The sounds inevitably rang out throughout the camp, and within a minute additional masked men came charging with their crude fighting tools. unlike Hett they were merely grunting savagely as they prepared to avenge their chief.

Bane rolled his eyes and drew his matching pistol. He hadn't meant to cause a riot, but top secret meant top secret. May as well make a clean job of it.

The sight of a hooded, bearded man riding an eopie into the avenue of Mos Eisley amid the sunset was no strange sight to anyone, not after all these years.

Obi Wan desolately took in the now-homely sights of aliens and humans lurking the adobe streets. Distinct in the center of the town was the spaceport, the most wretched hive of scum and villainy Obi Wan had come across, even compared to the Sith Lords and Separatists he had battled.

No-name bounty hunters and smugglers came in and out of the taverns, shops and trading posts. These parts were de facto run by the criminal underworld, particularly the mob owned by Jabba the Hutt. Obi Wan knew Jabba personally, from long before his exile on Tatooine, and he knew he'd never return to the wretched crime lord's castle.

The cantina lied next to an old junkyard that never had customers. It was basically a collection of unusable ship parts. The cantina itself was behind the large spaceport, where pilots often hung out for a drink or business.

It was owned by a Wookiee named Chalmun, but he was rarely seen there. As Obi Wan entered the bar, he noted the familiar, grouchy burly bartender named Wuher.

The cantina band played an obnoxious, cheerful tune as Obi Wan took in the sights of tonight's host of patrons. A wolf man, a devil, a pair of Twilek women, a Rodian and a Trandoshan that looked familiar to Obi Wan, just faintly.

"You wanna drink?" Wuher inquired grumpily as Obi Wan sat down at the bar stand.

"Yes please, I'll have a liquor," Obi Wan dully replied, tuning in his senses to the broader patron community. Meaningless chatter about nothing, drug deals, gossip, the usual.

As Wuher handed Obi Wan his glass of liquor, Obi Wan was approached from behind by a young Nautolan in a bright red flight suit.

"Want some death sticks?"

Obi Wan sighed with annoyance. He waved his hand and lightly concentrated on the low life's mind. "You don't want to sell deathsticks anymore."

Plain and simple, the Nautolan replied cluelessly, "I don't want to sell deathsticks anymore."

"You want to leave and think about your life."

"I want to leave and think about my life."

As Obi Wan delved into his drink and knowingly took the risk of liver failure, he heard Qui Gon laughing in amusement. "Never gets old, does it Obi Wan?"

Obi Wan continued to listen until among the crowd of rowdy aliens, he heard a distinct, known voice.

"So yeah, I've seen old Cad Bane. He's got some business here. Bragging that he's got a real moneymaker this time. Something that'll make Jabba jealous. This is supposedly bigger than anything a bounty hunter could dream up."

Obi Wan now made out Beckett among the crowd. Beckett was a middle aged human smuggler, with a fairly high profile for someone in his line of work. He was somewhat of a regular in Chalmun's cantina.

It wasn't Beckett himself that got Obi Wan interested, however. It was the name of Cad Bane. He could still visualize those hateful, ruthless red eyes peering from below the brim of his cap. So he was on Tatooine, taking on a job bigger than most bounty hunters could dream of.

Like maybe a Jedi.


	3. Kenobi 3

Obi Wan slowly and subtly got up from his seat, continuing to listen to Beckett. He could see the smuggler sitting and talking to a strawberry blonde, lavender skinned Theelim female who also seemed familiar.

As Beckett was telling the Theelin about some smuggling mission he'd been paid by Kanjiklub for, Obi Wan realized exactly who she was. Kriff, was the day for old friends and foes or what?

Latts Razzi was a bounty hunter who had served as a mercenary during the Clone Wars. She had teamed up with Assaj Ventress and Quinlan Vos in an attempt to assassinate Count Dooku. Obi Wan knew of her dislike for the Jedi Order and her alliance with young Boba Fett in his crime syndicate. Apparently that was a bust, he mused with a touch of snark.

As usual, Obi Wan was in no mood for catching up. He just wanted to know about Cad Bane. He stood patiently amidst the drunk, rowdy crowd as he waited for the right moment to approach.

For precaution, Obi Wan moved his hand to his waist and caressed the lightsaber hidden under his cloak. He then reached into his pocket for credits, knowing this would be key to his mission.

Finally Razzi said to the man, "I'm going up for another round."

Beckett waved her away and took a drink of his beverage. Taking a deep, tentative breath, Obi Wan dove in, stepping up behind Beckett and tapping him on the shoulder.

Beckett turned around to face the hooded man before him.

"What do you want, old man? I'm busy?"

"I can see that," Obi Wan nodded pointedly at the drink on the table, "I just need a moment of your time." He held out the colored cube that worth fifty credits. He'd been given a considerable fortune as a parting gift from Bail Organa, to help him survive in the money based Tatooine society.

"All right, you need me for a smuggling job?"

"No, I just want information. I couldn't help but overhear you talking about Cad Bane."

Beckett took the money and pocketed it. "Yeah, good old Bane. You know him?"

"We've met," Obi Wan replied, putting it very lightly, "I just need to know what he's doing on Tatooine and what his mission is."

"Well, it's one of his 'top secret' projects," Beckett said, standing up and recklessly flinging a drunken arm around Obi Wan, "But bribe Bane with money, you'll get anything from him. He said he thinks there's a Jedi on Tatooine."

Obi Wan cringed, his worst fears realized. Bane had been in close contact with the Sith during the Clone Wars and may still have been.

"Do you know if he's working for the Empire?"

"Oh, no, those Imperials think they're too big to deal with our sort," Beckett laughed dismissively and sat back down, "He said something about Black Sun, or something."

"Black Sun," Obi Wan repeated. They were perhaps the biggest crime syndicate aside from the Hutt clans, and had also been enemies with the Republic during the Clone Wars. "Do you know where I might find this Cad Bane?"

Beckett was about to reply, but then Latts Razzi said from behind Obi Wan, "Ah, Beckett, who's your mystery friend."

Beckett stood up sheepishly. Obi Wan refused to turn around, praying with all his heart that Latts Razzi would not recognize him. He hoped, for the first time, that he'd aged enough to look different from his thirtysomething self. The suns on Tatooine certainly helped with that.

"This is..." he looked at Obi Wan in confusion.

"Ben. Just Ben. Old Ben."

"Yeah, this is Ben."

"Charmed," Latts Razzi replied simply, "Why don't you turn around and look at me?"

Obi Wan's mind scrambled wildly for a plan, but before he could think of a way to escape Razzi without leaving, she caught him by the arm and turned him to face her.

"Oh, oh oh," Razzi's face went crazy as she recognized the old veteran. "Oh, you've gone gray, Kenobi."

"Kenobi?" Beckett questioned, "Now why does that name ring a bell."

Obi Wan had had enough. He grabbed Razzi firmly by the arm and said, "May I speak to you alone outside, if it's not a problem." So he could still pull off the Jedi Master authoritative tone.

Sugi shrugged and followed him towards the cantina's exit into the night as Beckett returned to his drink.

Obi Wan wasn't sure what he'd do with this woman. He didn't want to kill if necessary, but he couldn't allow word of his presence on Tatooine to leave the planet, or even the spaceport for that matter.

"Razzi," he said in a calm but insisting tone, "I cannot let you tell anyone about me. I am here on very secret business vital to the galaxy." He hoped Razzi would take the hint and forget she saw him. She knew the damage a lightsaber could do.

"Don't worry, Jedi, I'm not interested in the Empire. I'm getting information about Bane."

This caught Obi Wan's attention. He'd always hated the Republic resorting to dealing with bounty hunters, but the war had called for desparate measures, and Luke's safety did as well.

"Is there any reason you're interested in Cad Bane?" Jedi diplomacy still came naturally. Maybe it was just his "Negotiator" nature.

"If you must know, Jabba's been after him for a while. He's gone rogue, working for Black Sun now."

"Black Sun? What do they want?"

"That's what I'm trying to get from Bane. The Hutts always like to stay ten steps ahead of their rival gangs."

"Oh I know all too well," Obi Wan assured her. He started to worry again. If Jabba the Hutt found out what Bane was doing, he could discover that Bane was looking for him, and possibly even that he was protecting Luke. This was getting out of hand way too fast.

He couldn't let this woman out of his sight, Obi Wan realized. If he didn't have the proper assurance of her silence and she slipped away...

"Do you plan to report to Jabba any time soon?"

"Are you kidding me? He's got rival bounty hunters hanging around there every second. I'd get blown to bits unless I have the actual bounty."

Obi Wan paused, weighing the pros and cons of his developing plan. He'd resolved from the start to keep as low a profile as possible, but now it was too late. He needed to appear on Razzi's side if he wanted to pull this off successfully without making more enemies or endangering Luke any further.

"Listen, Razzi, what do you say we... form an alliance of sorts. Against Bane."

Razzi shifted as she considered his offer. "You looking to split the bounty?"

"No, no, I'm not in the least bit interested in the bounty. I just want to catch Bane."

"Hmm, well I guess I would have an edge over my competition with a Jedi helping me," Razzi decided, "All right, Kenobi, you've got yourself a partnership."

She held out her purple hand. Obi Wan at last allowed himself to smile, albeit faintly, as he shook it.

The planet of Ord Mantell orbited a star called the called the Bright Jewel, in the mid rim. Its cities were obscured by the pink clouds from space, but its large oceans and mountain ranges could be viewed.

The moons around Ord Mantell were however, cast by the shadow of the _Falleen's Fist,_ the personal skyhook of Prince Xizor. Xizor was the head of Black Sun, having inherited it from former mob bosses who had died.

The tall, green skinned Xizor stood in his personal cabin, surveying a hologram of a Black Sun factory on Ord Mantell's surface. He was a nonagenarian, very young for such a powerful figure, at least by Falleen standards.

As Xizor reviewed the factory production, the scanner built into his holoprojector blinked. Xizor activated it and the hologram switched to the figure of Cad Bane.

"Are the rumors true?"

Xizor has learned from one of his spies stationed in Mos Eisley that a Jedi was hiding on Tatooine. That same spy was a bounty hunter who hid inside Jabba's palace and reported back to Xizor.

"I've done some poking around," Bane replied, "I had to employ some Tusken savages to help. Sure enough, there's a Jedi, lightsaber and all. But there's got to be more to it than hiding. He's obviously protecting something of value. The only question is, what?"

Two mynocks with one stone, Xizor realized. A Jedi and possibly a Force-sensitive object if not another individual that the Jedi was protecting. The Dark Prince was very familiar with the Jedi Order and their ways.

This may finally gain him favor with the Emperor, far more than his rival Darth Vader. Black Sun's dealings with the Empire were top secret, but Xizor knew very well how much the military of the great sovereign body depended on Black Sun's funding and resources.

The key to it now was to keep Vader from finding out. Xizor was very aware of how badly the Emperor wanted to replace the cyborg Sith Lord with a new apprentice. Maybe whoever the Jedi was protecting would be an asset.

"I want you to find out what the Jedi is protecting on Tatooine. I suspect that it may be another individual, like a force sensitive child."

When Bane looked confused, Xizor replied, "Oh I know all about the Jedi and their brainwashing of children."

"I'll get on it," Bane said, "You haven't forgotten my pay?"

Xizor gritted his teeth. He'd deal with that issue later. "No, Bane."

"All right then, Prince Xizor, over and out."

"Over and out."


	4. Kenobi 4

The hooded Jedi Master stood behind the junkyard that was next to the cantina, hidden from seedy wanderers by the piles of scrap metal and broken ship parts.

As Obi Wan used the Force to ward off any random cantina patron who may have wanted to roam through the rows and pathways created by the junk piles, he spoke to the shimmering image of Qui Gon.

"I don't want to leave Luke alone here, but if Cad Bane finds out that he exists and leaves, I may have no choice but to follow him and..."

Obi Wan had had a special dislike for the war criminal Bane, but the next words could not manage to escape his lips, they were not the words of a Jedi as steadfast as himself.

Sensing his former Padawan's train of thought, Qui Gon said, "You don't want to kill. You don't want to be an assassin like Bane is."

"Worse," Obi Wan replied, feeling like an angsty teen as he confided in the wiser and older Jedi, "I'm afraid of acting in aggression to protect what I value, like..." He couldn't even finish that sentence, even though the name rang through his mind every day, hearing himself speak it aloud was a different matter entirely.

"Like Anakin," Qui Gon finished for him, his glowing face regarding Obi Wan with the serenity that had frustrated and endeared Obi Wan to his mentor. "You're afraid of killing because you don't want to be like Anakin."

Obi Wan's lip trembled as a lump entered his throat. "Yes Master. If a Jedi as good and powerful as he was could turn, then I don't know what could happen to me, if I acted on emotion alone." And there would most certainly be heavy emotions involved, on a quest to protect the secrecy of not only Anakin's legacy but that of the Jedi Order itself.

The last hope to the galaxy and Republic.

"If I ever tried to teach you anything Obi Wan, it was compassion for all life. We are all a part of the living Force, even immoral characters such as the Sith and Cad Bane However, do you remember when we faced the Sith Lord on Naboo."

More painful reminders of the past. Qui Gon may have been speaking to Obi Wan at that moment, but it didn't take away the pain of losing his living, in the flesh Master. He nodded sullenly in response.

"I was fully prepared to kill, in the name of our mission. For Naboo and the Jedi. I hated to do it, but there was no other choice."

Obi Wan contemplated this, running his fingers through his beard. His auburn hair really had gone mostly gray, he realized.

He was not an old man by any means, he was now the same age that Qui Gon had been when he'd taken Obi Wan as his Padawan. Yet he felt as old as Master Yoda and as exhausted as a dying man. War and mental scars ran strong through him.

Sensing the discomfort of his former student, Qui Gon continued. "A Jedi is not someone who would never kill, but rather, one that only uses their power for defense. I fought to defend Naboo and the Queen, and I was prepared to kill to do so."

"So I must be prepared to kill Cad Bane," Obi Wan stated, realizing the magnitude of his now-necessary task. "For Luke."

"For Luke and for the Jedi," Qui Gon replied, "You've never been one to compromise your principles, Obi Wan. I'm glad I taught you that, out of everything I tried to teach over the years, that is the single most important thing for anyone."

"I will try not to fall to the dark side like Anakin," Obi Wan promised the ghost before him.

"I know you won't. You're a strong and wise Jedi Master in the truest sense."

Obi Wan bowed to the shimmering apparition before him. "I won't let you down, Master Qui Gon."

The shadowy, dirty walkway leading from the creaking, sliding gate entrance to Jabba's palace was even darker under the cover of night. The shadows of Gammorean guards could only vaguely be made out as Latts Razzi stalked along the shadowy dungeon like corridor.

One lurking Gammorean nudged the other, and both of them began to charge at Razzi, crying out with grunts and snorts.

With a yell, Razzi pulled her one of a kind grappling boa and whipped it forward, catching one of the Gammoreans. He was pushed to the side into his fellow guard.

Razzi came over the first Gammorean and delivered a swift, powerful roundhouse kick to his head. The muscular, piglike creature was rendered unconscious over the struggling Gammorean beneath him.

Razzi slashed her boa over the second guard's throat, knocking the air out of him. She moved along, towards the throne room.

A single, tall figure awaited as Razzi approached. A male orange Twilek, who Razzi knew to be Bib Fortuna. He was Jabba the Hutt's major dormo, and rumor had it he was plotting to overthrow the great crime lord.

"Die wanna wanga?"

"I have news for the mighty Jabba," Razzi said in Hutteese, "About the Jedi."

"Right this way," replied Bib Fortuna, beckoning the Theelin bounty hunter along.

All the dancers and band players were asleep, as was the giant, sluggish Jabba himself. A few lone bounty hunters roamed up and down the throne room, stationed and waiting for an assignment.

Beside Jabba stood his protocol droid TC70, who stepped up to address Fortuna.

"The bounty hunter Latts Razzi."

TC70 nodded and returned, gently tapping the snoring Jabba on his slimy, stubby arm.

The sleeping obese Hurt grunted as he awoke. In irritation, Jabba swung his little arm and knocked the protocol droid aside.

Bib Fortuna stepped up to his boss and whispered in the side of Jabba's head.

"The hunter Latts Razzi with news."

Jabba regarded the bounty hunter who stood before him, then spoke in deep Huttese.

TC70 came forth and said to Razzi. "The great and powerful Jabba is most anxious to hear your report."

"The Jedi has revealed himself," Razzi said bluntly, getting right to the point, "His name is Obi Wan Kenobi and he has a long term mission on Tatooine."

"Oh, Kenobi, ho ho ho ho ho," Jabba laughed, then spoke some more in Huttese.

"The illustrious Jabba believes Lord Vader will pay a heavy bounty for Master Kenobi," TC70 said to Razzi, "He would like to see the Jedi Master alive if possible."

"I have him thinking I'm on his sidie," Latts Razzi said to Jabba, "All I need to do is wait for the right moment to strike against him."

Obi Wan had set out early on the last morning before he and Razzi would begin to hunt for Cad Bane, to check on young Luke Skywalker. The sunrise shined down on the humble moisture farm and the desert surrounding it.

Peering over the dusty dune, Obi Wan could see the igloo shaped dwelling and a man and a boy coming out. A landspeeder was parked outside the entrance, where Owen would teach you to fly.

"All right Luke," Owen was saying, "Flying one of these things is no joke. You need to concentrate fully on what you are doing."

They climbed into the speeder as Obi Wan watched from afar, careful not to ride into Owen's line of vision.

As Luke sat behind the controls, he yanked the lever excitedly as the speeder took off across the desert.

"Easy, easy!" Owen was shouting.

"Whoooo!" Luke yelled as the landspeeder sped over the sand leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

Obi Wan felt more than a twinge of sadness as he remembered another Skywalker boy from Tatooine who had loved to fly, perhaps the best pilot in the galaxy. As a child, Anakin had already been a Podracer and very capable of flying a space fighter.

Luke was the same age Anakin had been when he'd left Tatooine, Obi Wan realized. He knew that the childlike innocence in young Luke would eventually disappear as he would be exposed to the hardships of life and the galaxy. Anakin had been hardened by years of training and war.

Clearing his sentiment from his mind, Obi Wan flicked the reins of his eopie, turning the beast around back towards the cliffside.

He was due to meet Razzi in Docking Bay 94 at noon.

As he progressed nearer to the ledge leading up into the Jundland Wastes, Obi Wan was struck by a headache. Something was wrong, he was being lured into a trap. By who, he couldn't tell, but this was all a terrible mistake.

His questions seemed to be answered by the lone figure emerging from the rocks, brimmed hat and long overcoat.

It had been a decade since Obi Wan had seen Cad Bane, but he looked exactly the same, from the breathing tubes to the red eyes glaring vengefully at him.

"You've gotten old, Kenobi."

Obi Wan dismounted from his eopie, and by second nature, reached into his cloak to draw his lightsaber.

"So I've been told."

"I was going to turn you in to my client," Bane sneered as he pulled out his twin pistols from his belt, "but that was before I realized who you were. This time, it'll be personal."

Obi Wan shrugged his cloak off of him and it landed in the sand behind him. He assumed a classic Soresu stance as he activated the blue blade. He was ready for anything the bounty hunter would throw at him, he had the Force on his side.

Bane stepped forward as he continued monologuing. "I've been waiting to have my revenge on you, Kenobi. How fortunate that you happen to be here."

Obi Wan pointed his blade at Bane warningly, determined not to allow old grudges to cloud his judgment.

"Stand down Bane. I am prepared to fight to the death."

"I know you're not here for nothing," Bane taunted him, "What is it that you're protecting? Who is it?"

At those words, Obi Wan knew that both of them could not walk away from the impending duel alive. Somehow, Bane had at least an inkling that Obi Wan was protecting a future Jedi on Tatooine, and Bane had always been well connected to the Sith.

He rushed at the blue skinned bounty hunter, holding his lightsaber at a slanted angle.

Bane backed away, firing both his pistols. Despite the size of his weapons, they were capable of rapid fire and Obi Wan was forced to halt in his tracks as he batted aside bolt after bolt.

Daybreak was turning into day as the twin suns cast a burning shadow over Obi Wan. Sweat poured down his hair and beard as he was forced backwards by Bane's onslaught.

Not willing to give Obi Wan a second of room, Bane lifted into the air on the rocket boosters on his boots, continuing to fire at Obi Wan from above.

Focusing on the rocky ledge ahead, Obi Wan took a deep breath and leapt for it, swinging his lightsaber against the blasterfire as he streamed across the boiling air.

He landed on his feet as Bane pivoted to continue his attack.

Obi Wan reached out with one hand, grabbing Bane's right pistol in the Force and wrenching it from his gloved hand.

As the pistol landed a ways off in the sand, Bane turned angrily to Obi Wan as he reached into his pocket.

"See you in hell, Kenobi," Bane growled as he pitched a thermal detonator in his direction.

Obi Wan raised his hand to suspend the detonator but Bane has already flipped the switch. A colorful explosion erupted five feet in front of Obi Wan and his hearing went first.

The last thing he saw before losing his vision was Bane launching off far away into the sunlight.

 _Qui Gon's body burned on the pyre as the Jedi and Naboo stood respectfully in observance._

 _Small and afraid, young Anakin looked up at the hooded, beardless Obi Wan as the new Jedi Knight gazed in contemplation at the fire where his master's body rested._

 _"What will happen to me now?"_

 _Obi Wan had had mixed feelings about his Master's new protege, but if nothing else, he would honor his last promise to Qui Gon._

 _"You will become a Jedi. I promise."_

 _The young Jedi Knight Obi Wan and Mace Windu walked along the Jedi Temple corridor, having just returned from Naboo._

 _"I know the council agreed to let you train the boy, but are you sure you can handle it?"_

 _Still uncertain yet resigned to the task given, Obi Wan replied, "Qui Gon believed in young Skywalker, so I will also."_

 _"Master Yoda and I sense great danger in his future. Training the chosen one is a difficult task for any Jedi."_

 _"Qui Gon trusted me to train the boy. I will not let him down. I promised both of them. I will make sure Anakin grows up to be a strong and great Jedi Knight."_


	5. Kenobi 5

Before he could see again, Obi Wan became aware that he was moving rather quickly, and slumped against a hard seat. Once he realized that he was actually still alive, he looked around and saw the blue and beige desert rushing by as he lounged in the passenger seat of a landspeeder not unlike the one where Owen was teaching Luke to pilot.

"You're awake," Latts Razzi turned around and flashed him a grin, "Was starting to wonder if you'd ever wake up ."

"I'm sorry," Obi Wan took a moment to become reoriented, becoming fully aware of what was happening, "what's going on?"

"Found you in the desert, I thought the Jundland Wastes would be where you usually hang out. Looks like you had a rough encounter."

"Somehow, he found me," Obi Wan replied, "He could be off planet by now."

"We won't let him get far," Razzi promised as they sped towards Mos Espa spaceport, "I can track him in my ship."

"May I ask about this ship of yours?" Obi Wan said.

" _Blue Harvest,_ YT-2400 freighter, state of the art work. Yeah, my baby can track any ship within eight parsecs."

They approached the outskirts of town. During the daytime, Mos Eisley wasn't too different, though Obi Wan usually came at or after dusk. They passed by a Dug yelling about a bet, a pair of womp rats fighting over a scrap of roadkill, a Rodian bounty hunter stalking the street.

The alleyways of Mos Eisley contained doors along the rows of shops and taverns that led downstairs towards the underground portions of the town.

Docking Bay 94 contained mostly freighters used to smuggle goods and weapons on and off planet.

The Jedi and bounty hunter stealthily entered through the small, narrow passageway to an open clearing where the ships were parked.

Razzi pointed her boa at the YT-2400 class freighter and said, "That's the _Blue Harvest._ We'll get Bane before he reaches Black Sun."

Obi Wan could suddenly sense a danger, lurking nearby. On impulse, he drew his lightsaber from his belt but did not yet ignite it.

"Relax, Jedi, what's the trouble, oh..." Razzi saw the figure on the roof of her ship, tampering with the fuses.

Beckett looked up to face the two newcomers as Razzi raised her boa whip in preparation to strike.

Obi Wan looked around the hangar and decided now was a bad time to activate his lightsaber.

Beckett opened fire, shooting straight at Latts Razzi. The Theelin bounty hunter cartwheeled forward and out of the way, jumping onto the hull of the _Blue Harvest._

Beckett shot at her again, and Razzi wrapped her ship around his weapon, at the same time sweeping the smuggler's legs.

Beckett grunted loudly as he stumbled over and slid down onto the adobe hangar floor.

Razzi let out a yell as she jumped down onto the man, landing her boots onto his stomach.

Gasping and red in the face, Becket came up with his hands and clenched them around Razzi's legs. Razzi kicked out, but Beckett gripped her ankles tightly as he sent her crashing onto the ground.

Obi Wan decided that now was the time to intervene. Coming forward in a speed-walk, he raised his hand to lift Beckett off the ground, just lightly enough not to be noticed by the indifferent passerbys.

"Whoa, whoa!" Beckett cried out as Obi Wan pinned him against the hull of _Blue Harvest._

Razzi flicked her wrists and whipped Beckett in the belly in anger. "What the hell where you doing to my ship?"

Beckett raised his hands, chuckling. "Does it really make a difference now, Razzi? Both of you are fools for sticking around here now!"

Obi Wan once again realized it was time for the Negotiator to return and raised his hand, waving it as he probed into Beckett's mind.

"Why were you attempting to sabotage the ship?"

"What do you think you're doing, old man, waving your hand around like an old dead Jedi?"

Obi Wan bit back an enraged reply and repeated, concentrating harder, "Tell me what you were doing to her ship and why."

"Prince Xizor's onto you and your boss Jabba," Beckett addressed Razzi once again "He knows Jabba's working for..."

"STOP!" Obi Wan had a terrible premonition, this time sensing the explosives.

He lifted both hands and with the Force reached into the _Blue Harvest._

A small explosion snapped inside the ship, contained by Obi Wan's Force Powers.

"You son of a... my ship!" Razzi stared in horror as the _Blue Harvest_ burst into flames as Obi Wan worked to localize the damage and stop the explosion from spreading.

Razzi forgot Beckett for a moment and raced into the hatch.

As Obi Wan concentrated on containing the flames, Beckett ducked out of the way and took off running towards the docking bay's exit.

Obi Wan decided that the smuggler wasn't worth pursuing, neither for his mission nor for the risk of exposing himself more than he had already.

He heard Razzi cussing as she put out the fires with her whip inside.

Now the skyhook _Falleen's Fist_ drifted through hyperspace as Prince Xizor addressed the hologram of Cad Bane. Xizor now spoke to a home screen across from his bed, where a Twilek woman lied on either side of him. Xizor was not in the least bit ashamed to showcase his private life to the people he did business with.

"My Prince, I am pleased to report that the Jedi Master is dead."

Prince Xizor frowned as he ran his hand across his long black ponytail. "Are you sure, Bane?"

"His name was Obi Wan Kenobi. I blew him up with a detonator."

"Kenobi," contemplates Xizor, "I know the name. You say you killed him with a detonator?"

"I don't see how he could have lived. The emperor will be pleased, won't he?"

"Jedi are capable of surviving great things," Xizor said distantly as he thought about the situation, "Kenobi in particular has cheated death before, as you well know, Bane."

"I'm coming for the bounty," Bane's tone of respect diminished as he glowered through the holoconference at his client, "He's dead and I expect my pay."

Xizor realized then how much he hated working with bounty hunters. One in such an important position as his own could hardly afford to do the dirty work on the field, but sometimes it was better than excessive bartering with this scum.

"We'll see about that. I'm coming to Tatooine myself to make sure the Jedi is dead. I'm not paying you anything until I've confirmed it."

Bane dropped the pretense of reverence for the crime leader and crossed his arms on the screen, glaring at Xizor. "You said dead or alive and I left him dead. I'm coming for the bounty."

Xizor stroked the head of the blue skinned Twilek on his left as she giggled, unaware and indifferent to the Dark Prince's business affairs taking place in the bedroom. "And I'm coming for the body. I need to see the body before I pay you anything."

The screen faded to black as Xizor returned his attention to his mistresses of the week.

"Now where were we?"

Obi Wan followed the purple skinned woman into the smoking, damaged remains of the ship.

Latts Razzi was frustratedly whacking the burnt crisps that remained of her primary engine, out of control.

Obi Wan raised a hand, attempting to exude an aura of calm and peace. "Let's keep calm and approach this logically, then we can think of a plan from here."

Razzi rounded on Kenobi, glowering at him in frustration.

"Don't talk to me about calm and logic, Jedi! All I have to do is make a call and you're busted!"

Obi Wan had to make an effort to remind himself that he wanted to avoid killing at almost all costs. For now, he needed to stay on her good side, then he'd figure out what to do.

"We can buy new parts for your ship once we figure out all that's broken."

"It's all a ruin!" Razzi yelled, recklessly thrashing her whip around, "I'm going to kill that scum!"

Obi Wan was getting tired of the throwbacks to the bygone days of the Clone Wars, a time he'd hated while in it but now desperately wanted to return to, as it seemed despite its hardships far better than the current age.

"Listen, Razzi, if it's really beyond repair, we can buy you a new ship."

Razzi glowered again at the hooded Jedi and stomped her foot towards him, "Buy a new ship? And who's going to pay for it?"

Obi Wan sighed in annoyance, fed up with this bounty hunter's antics. He considered ditching her but realized he needed to fake his death first as she knew he was a Jedi and recognized him by name.

"I'll front the money to replace your ship," Obi Wan pulled a credit cube from the pouch on his utility belt. "We can search the large shipyards for one."

Razzi seemed to calm down after this, then backed away and gave the Jedi an appealing, almost flirtatious look. "You're really going to buy me a new ship?"

Obi Wan nodded dispassionately, wanting nothing more than a drink from the cantina.

 _Patience, Obi Wan,_ that golden voice of wisdom said in his mind.

"No strings attached."

As the _Falleen's Fist_ glided gracefully through the black vacuum of space, Prince Xizor elegantly guided his two mistresses to the door, where his human replica droid Guri was waiting.

Guri was tall, blond, and lithe, appearing like a normal human female, yet her strength was beyond superhuman, and her psychopathy may have even dwarfed that of Xizor.

"Guri, if you'll show these two ladies to the refreshing room," he instructed his most lethal assassin and occasional sexual partner.

"With pleasure," replied the radiant looking droid. With human hands, Guri grasped the arms of both Twilek women and led them with false gentleness towards the skyhook's nexu cage.

Xizor has gotten tired of making excuses of why he could no longer see each mistress, so he'd found an easier way to be rid of them and be able to move on to the next conquest.

He smiled to himself as the _Falleen's Fist_ reached the Tatooine system. On either side of the entrance stood an armored, masked bodyguard carrying a long, spearlike staff. His guards followed him to the skyhook's landing facility where his StarViper class ship, the _Virago,_ awaited.


End file.
